Tenerife’s IES El Médano Wins Viera y Clavijo Award for Educational Excellence

IES El Médano in Tenerife has been honored with the Viera y Clavijo award, a prestigious recognition from the Canary Islands Ministry of Education for excellence in school management. The award highlights the institute’s success in fostering an inclusive environment that has transformed the lives of its students. This success has led to a surge in enrollment, with the school now planning to expand its facilities to accommodate over 800 pupils.

A key factor in the school’s success is its dedication to diversity. It hosts one of only two "reception classrooms" in the region, which helps newly arrived foreign students integrate linguistically and academically. While students from countries like Latvia, Ukraine, Romania, and Mali have benefited greatly from this program, teachers like Venancio Gutiérrez emphasize that more resources—specifically more than the current six hours per week—are needed to ensure these students transition smoothly into the standard curriculum.

Beyond its reception program, the school has built a comprehensive model that supports students with special educational needs through its "Aula Enclave" and encourages entrepreneurship through projects like the student-run company Printing and Clave. The school also prioritizes equitable access to technology and organizes creative and sports-based activities during recess to keep students engaged.

For director Sebastián Cubas, who has led the school for over 15 years, this award is the most significant milestone in the institution's history, surpassing previous honors like the Cabildo of Tenerife’s solidarity medal. The administration credits the faculty as the driving force behind this achievement, noting that the school has become a benchmark for positive coexistence and modern education across the islands.